Throttle valve for spray nozzles



Feb.- 6, 1968 R. J. MOORE 3,367,622 THROTTLE VALVE-FOR SPRAY NOZZLESFiled Sept. 20, 1965 3 5/ Q INVENTCSR.

3.; 34 4 47 05m J Moore A T TOKMEY United States Patent 3,367,622THROTTLE VALVE FOR SPRAY NOZZLES Robert J. Moore, Grand Rapids, Mich,assignor to Leigh Products, lino, Coopersviile, Mich. Filed Sept. 20,1965, Ser. No. 488,360 15 Claims. (Cl. 251114) This invention relates toimprovements in a throttle valve for spray nozzles.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a hand operated throttle valve for spray nozzle andthe like in which the body of the valve is integrally formed with aU-shaped grip of resilient material and is provided with an integralsupply tube connection so that the valve is easily held in one hand andthe volume of liquid or material being sprayed is easily controlled bysqueezing and deflecting the resilient grip portion of the valve.

Second, to provide a throttle valve in which the adjustment of the valvefrom closed to variably opened position is accomplished by movement of aportion of the nozzle tube through which the liquid is delivered.

Third, to provide a throttle valve which is easily and inexpensivelyassembled and in which the metallic parts of the spray tube and theirsupport are easily assembled in passages molded into the valve body.

Fourth, to provide a pistol grip valve having the foregoing propertieswith a hold open member engaged with the body in such a manner as toalso retain guide portions of the valve in the body of the valve.

Fifth, to provide a throttle valve which is simple and inexpensive tomanufacture and assemble while at the same time being durable andpositive in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, ofwhich there is one sheet, illustrate a highly practical form of theinvention.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the throttle valveassociated with a delivery tube and spray nozzle and a supply pipe ortube from a source of liquid to be sprayed.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the bodyportion of the valve with parts broken away in vertical longitudinalcross section.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken along the plane ofline 33 in FIGURE 2.

The valve of the invention is designed primarily for use withpressurized tanks for spraying insecticides but its use is not limitedto this purpose and the valve may be used for controlling the deliveryof other fluids from other sources. The valve consists of an integralmolded member indicated generally at 1 and desirably formed of syntheticmoldable plastic or other resilient material. The molded member includesa generally cylindrical but slightly tapered body portion 2 with atubular connecting nipple 3 projecting downwardly at an angle therefrom.A U- shaped grip has a forward arm 4 extending in integral anddownwardly and rearwardly inclined relation from the bottom of the frontportion of the body to a cross member 5 and then upwardly in a rear arm6 which terminates in spaced relationship behind the body portion 2. Thebody portion 2 has a rearwardly projecting tubular extension 7 ofreduced diameter and the rear arm 6 carries an integral forwardlyprojecting and upwardly opening hook 8 on its front side.

The connecting nipple 3 has an enlarged and shouldered lower end adaptedto be forced into a supply tube or hose 10 or resilient material and acommon type of hose clamp 11 secures the end of the hose around thenipple 3. The cross member 5 of the handle grip defines a hole oropening 12 through which the end of the hose 10 is extended to thenipple so that the end of the hose is manipulated and directed at thesame time as the valve and its body. The sides of the body 2 near thefront end thereof have laterally projecting studs or bosses 13 withopenings 14 formed therethrough to receive the inturned ends 15 of agenerally U-shaped hold open member 16. The hold open member hasrearwardly and downwardly projecting side arms 17 connected by a bightor cross portion 18 which is adapted to be swung downwardly into thenotch 191 of the hook 8 when the rear arm 6 of the grip and the hook aremoved or squeezed forwardly to the dotted line portion shown in 8A.

The head portion 2 of the molded valve is provided with a steppedinternal bore having a relatively large front portion 19 terminating ina radially reduced and inwardly projecting shoulder 20. Rearwardly fromthe shoulder 20 the passage in the head is tapered gradually rearwardlyas at 21 to a more sharply converging tapered shoulder 22 which islocated rearwardly from the nipple 3 and the passage in the nipple whichthus opens into the gradually tapered section 21 of the passage.Rearwardly of the shoulder 22 the body 2. and its rear extension 7 havea passage 31 of a uniform cross section formed therethrough.

Received in the large forward portion 1? of the passage in the body isan annular fitting 32 which may be formed of metal and which has arearwardly facing external shoulder 33 abutted against the front end ofthe body 2. An annular groove 34 in the exterior of the fitting 32receives the inwardly projecting ends of the wire hold open member toretain the fitting within the head of the valve. The fitting 32 definesa central bore or hole 35 of uniform diameter which slidably receivesthe midsection of a nozzle or spray tube 36. An O-ring seal 37 ispositioned in the enlarged recess 19 seals between the shoulder 20, thesurface of the delivery tube and the inner end of the fitting 32. Thetube extends rearwardly through the tapered portion 21 of the bodyrecess and has an inwardly oifset annular groove 38 formed therein Witha second O-ring seal 39 received in the groove and coacting with thesurface of the recess in the valve body as will be described. Locatedrearwardly from the groove 38 and seal 39 is a hole 40 formed in theside of the delivery tube and positioned in the narrowest rear portion31 of the valve body recess when the valve is closed as shown in thefull line position of the tube in FIGURES 2 and 3.

The rear end of the spray or delivery tube 36 is closed by a solidcylindrical extension 41 having a forward tip 42 pressed into the tubeand an annular groove 43 into which the rear portion of the tube isknurled or offset as at 44 to form a permanent connection between thetube and the extension. Rearwardly of the tube 36 the extension has asecond annular groove 45 formed therein which receives a third O-ringseal 46 in sealing engagement with the small rear portion 31 of thepassage through the valve body. The extension 41 projects from the valvebody to a threaded stud 47 of reduced diameter. Positioned around theextension 41 and slidable forwardly over the rear extension 7 of thebody is a cup like adjustable backing member 48 having a knurled surface49 and a reduced rearwardly projecting neck 50 that is internallythreaded to be adjustably received on the threaded stud 47 of the tubeextension. The neck 50 projects through a hole 51 in the upper end ofthe rear arm 6 of the grip so that the arm abuts against the rear end ofthe backing member 48. A cap nut 52 clamps the backing member inadjustment position on the stud 47 and a return spring 53 positionedwithin the backing member and compressed between the rear extension 7 ofthe body and the bottom of the backing member assists the flexibility ofthe grip arms in returning the valve to closed position.

In the normally closed position of the valve as illustrated the spring53 and the resiliency of the arms 4 and 6 forces the extension 41 andthe delivery or spray tube 36 rearwardly into the body of the valveuntil the seal 39 closes against the sharply tapered portion 22. of thepassage in the valve body. Squeezing the grip arms 4 and 6 forces thetube 36 and seal 39 forwardly along the enlarged tapered section 21 ofthe valve body passage so that liquid under pressure from the inletpassage 30 is metered past the seal 39 in increasing quantity to thehole 40 in the tube from where it fiows outwardly through the tube tothe nozzle 54 or other outlet device on the end of the tube. As thedelivery tube and seal 39 are moved forwardly past the inlet passage 30the valve is in full opened position in which full flow through thevalve is provided. In the full opened position the notch 191 of the hook8 is in the forward dotted position 8-A so that the hold open wire bail18 can be swung downwardly into the notch to hold the valve open withoutpressure on the arms of the grip handle.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A manually operable throttle valve having a delivery tube comprising,

an integrally molded valve body having a depending supply nipple and adepending grip with a forward arm connected to the body ahead of thenipple and lower crosspiece below the nipple connected to an upwardlyextending arm spaced from the rear of the body,

a passage formed through said body with a relatively large forwardportion terminating in a radially re duced internal shoulder mergingwith a rearwardly converging tapered portion and a second radiallyreduced tapered shoulder at the rear of said tapered portion joined withthe forward end of a rear cylindrical portion, said tube beingpositioned within said passage in said body, said nipple defining asupply passage opening to said tapered portion,

an annular guide fixture positioned within the enlarged front portion ofsaid passage and around said tube,

a first deformable seal positioned around said tube and between saidfixture and said first shouder,

an annular groove formed in said tube and having a second sealpositioned therearound and engageable with said second shoulder,

an opening formed through said tube rearwardly of said second seal,

a closure member retained in the rear end of said tube by means of anannular rim rolled from the tube into a receiving groove in the forwardend of the closure member,

a third annular seal carried by said closure and sealingly engagedwithin the rear end of said body,

said tube closure member having a threaded stud on its rear endprojecting from the rear of said body,

a forwardly opening cup-shaped adjusting member embracing the rear endof said closure member and movable forwardly over the rear end of saidbody,

a neck of reduced diameter on the rear of said adjusting memberthreadedly engaged with said stud and and projecting through the reararm of said handle a cap nut engaged with said stud and in lockingengagement with said adjusting member,

a valve closing spring within said adjusting member and between the rearof said body and the bottom of said adjusting member,

an upwardly opening hook on the forward side of the rear arm of saidhandle grip,

and a U-shaped hold open bail having inwardly turned ends engagedthrough openings in the side of said body and retaining said guidefixture in said body,

the bight of said bail being engageable in said hook to hold said valveopen.

2. A manually operable throttle valve having a delivery tube comprising,

an integrally molded valve body having a depending supply nipple and adepending grip with a forward arm connected to the body ahead of thenipple and lower crosspiece below the nipple connected to an upwardlyextending arm spaced from the rear of the body,

said lower crosspiece having a hole therein adapted to pass a supplytube to said nipple,

a passage formed through said body with a relatively large forwardportion terminating in a radially reduced internal shoulder merging witha rearwardly converging tapered portion and a second radially reducedtapered shoulder at the rear of said tapered portion joined with theforward end of a rear cylindrical portion, said tube being positionedwithin said passage in said body, said nipple defining a supply passageopening to said tapered portion,

an annular guide fixture positioned within the enlarged front portion ofsaid passage and around said tube,

a first deformable seal positioned around said tube and between saidfixture and said first shoulder,

an annular groove formed in said tube and having a second sealpositioned therearound and engageable with said second shoulder,

an opening formed through said tube rearwardly of said second seal,

a closure member retained in the rear end of said tube by means of anannular rim rolled from the tube into a receiving groove in the forwardend of the closure member,

a third annular seal carried by said closure and sealingly engagedwithin the rear end of said body, said tube closure member having athreaded stud on its rear end,

a forwardly opening cup-shaped adjusting member embracing the rear endof said closure member and movable forwardly over the rear end of saidbody,

a neck of reduced diameter on the rear of said adjusting memberthreadedly engaged with said stud and projecting through the rear arm ofsaid handle grip,

a cap nut engaged with said stud and in locking engagement with saidadjusting member,

a valve closing spring within said adjusting member and between the rearof said body and the bottom of said adjusting member,

an upwardly opening hook on the forward side of the rear arm of saidhandle grip,

and a U-shaped hold open bail having inwardly turned ends engagedthrough openings in the side of said body and retaining said guidefixture in said body,

the bight of said bail being engageable in said hook to hold said valveopen.

3. A manually operable throttle valve having a delivery tube comprising,

an integrally molded valve body having a depending supply nipple and adepending grip with a forward arm connected to the body and lowercrosspiece connected to an upwardly extending arm spaced from the rearof the body,

a passage formed through said body with a relatively large forwardportion terminating in a radially reduced internal shoulder merging witha rearwardly converging tapered portion and a second radially reducedshoulder at the rear of said tapered portion joined with the forward endof a rear cylindrical portion, said tube being positioned within saidpassage in said body, said nipple defining a supply passage opening tosaid tapered portion,

an annular guide fixture positioned within the enlarged front portion ofsaid passage and around said tube,

a first deformable seal positioned around said tube and between saidfixture and said first shoulder,

an annular groove formed in said tube and having a second sealpositioned therearound and engageable with said second shoulder,

an opening formed through said tube rearwardly of said second seal,

a closure member retained in the rear end of said tube,

a third annular seal carried by said closure and sealingly engagedwithin the rear end of said body, said tube closing member having athreaded stud on its rear end,

a forwardly opening cup-shaped adjusting member embracing the rear endof said closure member and movable forwardly over the rear end of saidbody,

a neck of reduced diameter on the rear of said adjusting memberthreadedly engaged with said stud and projecting through the rear arm ofsaid handle grip,

a cap nut engaged with said stud and in locking engage ment with saidadjusting member,

and a valve closing spring within said adjusting memand between the rearof said body and the bottom of said adjusting member.

4. A manually operable throttle valve having a delivery tube comprising,

an integrally molded valve body having a supply nipple extendinglaterally therefrom and a depending grip with a forward arm connected tothe body and lower crosspiece connected to an upwardly extending armspaced from the rear of the body,

a passage formed through said body with a relatively large forwardportion terminating in a radially reduced internal shoulder merging witha rearwardly converging tapered portion and a second radially reducedshoulder at the rear of said tapered portion joined with the forward endof a rear cylindrical portion, said tube being positioned within saidpassage in said body, said nipple defining a supply passage opening tosaid tapered portion,

an annular guide fixture retained within the enlarged front portion ofsaid passage and around said tube,

a first deformable seal positioned around said tube and between saidfixture and said first shoulder,

an annular groove formed in said tube and having a second sealpositioned therearound and engageable with said tapered portion andsecond shoulder,

an opening formed through said tube rearwardly of said second seal,

a closure member retained in the rear end of said tube,

a third annular seal carried by said closure and sealingly engagedwithin the rear end of said body,

said tube closure having a threaded stud on its rear end,

a forwardly opening cup-shaped adjusting member embracing the rear endof said closure member and movable forwardly over the rear end of saidbody,

a neck of reduced diameter on the rear of said adjusting memberthreadedly engaged with said stud and projecting through the rear arm ofsaid handle grip,

a cap nut engaged with said stud and in locking engagement with saidadjusting member,

a valve closing spring within said adjusting member and between the rearof said body and the bottom of said adjusting member,

an upwardly opening hook on the forward side of the rear arm of saidhandle grip,

and a U-shaped hold open bail having inwardly turned ends engaged in theside of said body,

the bight of said bail being engageable in said hook to hold said valveopen.

5. A manually operable throttle valve having a delivery tube comprising,

an integrally molded valve body having a supply nipple extendinglaterally therefrom and a depending grip with a forward arm connected tothe body and lower crosspiece connected to an upwardly extending armspaced from the rear of the body,

a passage formed through said body with a relatively large forwardportion terminating in a radially reduced internal shoulder merging witha rearwardly converging tapered portion and a second radially reducedshoulder at the rear of said tapered portion joined with the forward endof a rear cylindrical portion, said tube being positioned within saidpassage in said body, said nipple defining a supply passage opening tosaid tapered portion,

and an annular groove formed in said tube and having front portion ofsaid passage and around said tube,

a first deformable seal positioned around said tube and between saidfixture and said first shoulder,

and an annular groove formed in said tube and having a second sealpositioned therearound and engageable with said tapered portion,

an opening formed through said tube rearwardly of said second seal,

a closure member retained in the rear end of said tube,

a third annular seal sealingly engaged within the rear end of said bodywith said closure member,

said tube closure having a threaded stud on its rear end,

a forwardly opening cup-shaped adjusting member embracing the rear endof said closure member and movable forwardly over the rear end of saidbody,

a neck of reduced diameter on the rear of said adjusting memberthreadedly engaged with said stud and projecting through the rear arm ofsaid handle grip,

a cap nut engaged with said stud and in locking engagement with saidadjusting member,

a valve closing spring within said adjusting member and between the rearof said body and the bottom of said adjusting member,

an upwardly opening hook on the forward side of the rear arm of saidhandle grip,

and a U-shaped hold open bail having inwardly turned ends engaged in theside of said body,

the bight of said bail being engageable in said hook to hold said valveopen.

6. A throttle valve comprising an integral molded body of resilientmaterial having a supply nipple projecting from one side,

a grip handle having a front arm depending integrally from the bottom ofsaid body and connected by a bottom cross-piece to an upwardly extendingrear arm,

said body having a passage formed therethrough in the general plane ofsaid grip handle and having a rearwardly converging tapered centralportion,

said nipple defining a supply passage opening to said tapered portion,

a delivery tube extending slidably into said passage from the front ofsaid body,

first seal means engaged between said tube and the inside of saidpassage forwardly of the tapered portion of the passage,

second seal means movable with said tube and engageable between saidtube and the smaller rear end of said passage,

said tube defining an opening in its side located rearwardly of saidsecond seal means,

means closing the rear end of said tube,

third seal means positioned in sealing relation between the closed rearend of said tube and the interior of said passage rearwardly of saidtapered portion of said passage,

and means arranged in two way thrust transmitting relation between theclosed rear end of said tube and the upper end of said rear arm.

7. A throttle valve as defined in claim 6 in which said nipple projectsfrom said body in the same general plane as said grip handle,

and said crosspiece of said handle has a hole formed therein adapted toreceive a supply tube extending from said nipple.

8. A throttle valve as defined in claim 6 in which there is a valveclosing spring positioned between the rear of said body and the top ofsaid rear arm.

9. A throttle valve as defined in claim 6 in which said rear arm has ahook on its upper end,

and a hold-open member having its forward end pivotally connected tosaid body and having its rear end swingable into engagement with saidhook in the forwardly deflected valve opening position of said rear arm.

10. A throttle valve as defined in claim 9 in which said hold-openmember is a bail having lugs on the ends of its arms engaged in holes inthe sides of said body and having its bight engageable with said hook.

11. A throttle valve as defined in claim 10 in which said first sealmeans is retained in said passage by an annular guide member surroundingsaid tube,

and said lugs on the arms of said bail extend through said body intoretaining engagement with said guide member.

12. A throttle valve as defined in claim 6 in which said two-way thrusttransmitting means includes a rear extension part on said tube having athreaded portion,

an adjusting member threaded on said threaded portion,

and a closing spring having its ends engaged between the rear of saidbody and said adjusting member.

13. A throttle valve as defined in claim 12 in which said adjustingmember has a cylindrical portion projecting over said spring and therear of said body.

14. A throttle valve as defined in claim 6 in which said closing meansfor the rear of said tube consists of a solid plug secured in the end ofsaid pipe and projecting from the rear of said body,

and said means in two way thrust relation consists of a stud of reduceddiameter on said plug projecting through an opening in said rear armwith a radially projecting member on the rear of said stud inoverlapping relation to the back of said rear arm.

15. A throttle valve as defined in claim 14 in which said third seal iscarried by and movable with said plug.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 613,041 10/1898 Kamerer 25 l-3252,369,356 2/1945 Koehn 25 l-353 2,380,608 7/1945 Palm 251245 2,419,7204/1947 Knight 81; a1. 251149.7

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

W. CLINE, Assistant Examiner.

6. A THROTTLE VALVE COMPRISING AN INTEGRAL MOLDED BODY OF RESILIENTMATERIAL HAVING A SUPPLY NIPPLE PROJECTING FROM ONE SIDE, A GRIP HAVINGA FRONT ARM DEPENDING INTEGRALLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID BODY ANDCONNECTED BY A BOTTOM CROSS-PIECE TO AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING REAR ARM,SAID BODY HAVING A PASSAGE FORMED THERETHROUGH IN THE GENERAL PLANE OFSAID GRIP HANDLE AND HAVING A REARWARDLY CONVERGING TAPERED CENTRALPORTION, SAID NIPPLE DEFINING A SUPPLY PASSAGE OPENING TO SAID TAPEREDPORTION, A DELIVERY TUBE EXTENDING SLIDABLY INTO SAID PASSAGE FROM THEFRONT OF SAID BODY, FIRST SEAL MEANS ENGAGED BETWEEN SAID TUBE AND THEINSIDE OF SAID PASSAGE FORWARDLY OF THE TAPERED PORTION OF THE PASSAGE.